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This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Toro-Mays from Trenton, NJ is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mrs. Toro-Mays is requesting

Characters Like Me/Personajes Como Yo!

Help me give my students culturally relevant books with characters they can relate to!

  • $678 goal

This project expired on August 12, 2019.

This project expired on August 12, 2019.

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

My students are Bilingual with limited English proficiency. Most have been here no more than two years and a few less than six months. My students come from many different countries and have various levels of education. Our class is hoping for books in English and Spanish with characters that represent their culture and experiences. Reading culturally relevant books will help my students make connections to their own lives and see themselves represented in literature. Our school is located in an urban area. My students come from a low socioeconomic background and all receive free lunch. Despite the linguistic and economic challenges our community faces, our students are enthusiastic and curious learners who love to read and discuss their books. Although we are faced with many obstacles, we have created a school culture that is nurturing while setting high expectations.

My Project

My class is full of bright talented students who are eager to learn. Help me unlock their potential!

It is crucial that students encounter characters in their books who share their culture and experiences.

My goal is to give my students books with characters with whom they can connect. Our class library has a limited number of high interest and culturally relevant books. I have seen a direct correlation between student motivation and giving them the opportunity to work together and share their ideas about what they are reading. Giving students books with characters like them is a huge motivation. This will not only increase the time they spend reading but will also validate their unique cultures and backgrounds.

Mrs. Toro-Mays
Grades 3-5

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TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Tesoros de Mi Isla • AKJ Education $14.59 1 $14.59
Yes! We Are Latinos Poems and Prose About the Latino Experience (Spanish Edition) • AKJ Education $13.83 1 $13.83
Lola (Spanish Edition) • AKJ Education $13.13 1 $13.13
Islandborn • AKJ Education $13.13 1 $13.13
The Only Road • AKJ Education $13.13 1 $13.13
Turning Pages • AKJ Education $13.13 1 $13.13
Biblioburro A True Story from Colombia • AKJ Education $13.13 1 $13.13
Marisol McDonald no combina (Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match) • AKJ Education $13.10 1 $13.10
Enrique's Journey • AKJ Education $12.41 1 $12.41
The Circuit Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child • AKJ Education $12.40 1 $12.40
Dear Primo A Letter to My Cousin • AKJ Education $12.37 1 $12.37
Open Mic Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices • AKJ Education $11.67 1 $11.67
Alma and How She Got Her Name • AKJ Education $11.67 1 $11.67
My Name Is Gabito/ Me Llamo Gabito • AKJ Education $11.64 1 $11.64
Una arruga en el tiempo (A Wrinkle in Time) • AKJ Education $11.64 1 $11.64
My Name Is Gabito The Life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez • AKJ Education $11.64 1 $11.64
Conoce a Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Meet Gabriel Garcia Marquez) • AKJ Education $10.91 1 $10.91
María: una niña latina en Estados Unidos (Maria: A Latina Girl in the United States) • AKJ Education $10.91 1 $10.91
My Name Is Jorge On Both Sides of the River • AKJ Education $10.76 1 $10.76
La isla de los delfines azules (Island Of The Blue Dolphins) • AKJ Education $10.21 1 $10.21
Cuentos que contaban nuestras abuelas (Tales Our Grandmas Told) • AKJ Education $9.48 1 $9.48
They Call Me Güero • AKJ Education $9.45 1 $9.45
Me encantan los Saturdays y los domingos (I Love Saturdays y domingos) • AKJ Education $9.45 1 $9.45
La Casa en Mango Street (The House on Mango Street) • AKJ Education $8.72 1 $8.72
Primer Dia En Las Uvas • AKJ Education $8.72 1 $8.72
Al fin en casa (Home at Last) • AKJ Education $8.06 1 $8.06
Cool Salsa (Spanish Edition) • AKJ Education $8.02 1 $8.02
Mi diario de aquí hasta allá (My Diary From Here To There) • AKJ Education $7.99 1 $7.99
The Fiesta Dress: A Quinceanera Tale • AKJ Education $7.29 1 $7.29
Breaking Through • AKJ Education $7.19 1 $7.19
Island Treasures Growing Up in Cuba • AKJ Education $6.56 1 $6.56
¡Qué montón de tamales! (Too Many Tamales!) • AKJ Education $6.56 1 $6.56
Too Many Tamales • AKJ Education $6.56 1 $6.56
De cómo Tía Lola terminó empezando otra vez (How Tía Lola Started Her Term Again) • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Devolver al remitente (Return To Sender) • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Senderos fronterizos (Breaking Through) • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Dancing Home • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
How Tia Lola Learned to Teach • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Abuela (Grandmother) • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
De cómo Tía Lola salvó el verano (How Tía Lola Saved The Summer) • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
De cómo Tía Lola aprendió a enseñar (How Tía Lola Learned To Teach) • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Return to Sender • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Day of the Dead • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Reaching Out • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
The Secret Footprints • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Cajas de cartón (The Circuit) • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Mas alla de mi (Reaching Out) • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Quienquiera que seas (Whoever You Are) • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
I Love Saturdays y domingos • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Nacer Bailando (Dancing Home) • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Becoming Naomi Leon • AKJ Education $5.59 1 $5.59
Island of the Blue Dolphins • AKJ Education $5.59 1 $5.59
Becoming Naomi Leon • AKJ Education $5.59 1 $5.59
How Tia Lola Saved the Summer • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
De cómo Tía Lola vino de visita a quedarse (How Tía Lola Came To Visit) • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
How Tia Lola Came to (Visit) Stay • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Love, Amalia • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Las Huellas Secretas • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Esperanza renace (Esperanza Rising) • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Con cariño, Amalia (Love, Amalia) • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Yo, Naomi León (Becoming Naomi Leon) • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Esperanza Rising • AKJ Education $4.89 1 $4.89
A Wrinkle in Time • AKJ Education $4.89 1 $4.89
Me llamo María Isabel (My Name Is Maria Isabel) • AKJ Education $4.37 1 $4.37
The Most Beautiful Place in the World • AKJ Education $4.37 1 $4.37
My Name Is Maria Isabel • AKJ Education $4.19 1 $4.19
¡Qué cosas dice mi abuela! (The Things My Grandmother Says) • AKJ Education $3.59 1 $3.59

Materials cost

$537.53

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$8.06

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$575.59

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$101.57

Total project goal

$677.16

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Toro-Mays and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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